A Human Heart

Husky

Being sexually liberated was important. It instilled a sense of freedom that nothing else could provide. It gave a thrill like no other. Not knowing whether or not you would get caught. Not knowing whether or not there would be a small bump in the road along the way. Throwing the dice to see who rolled the highest number when it came to the feelings involved. Who would get hurt first?

Her life was a lot like a game of Russian Roulette. Her partners switched throughout the week and she never knew what she'd get. She considered herself the reigning champion. With each new partner the stakes grew higher. The thought had never occurred to her that she'd get a rigged game one day and the chamber would be completely full.

Thick rolls of smoke clouded the room as he lit another joint. They lay in bed together, the distance between them a signal of their affection for one another. Their only task was to make each other feel good. Nothing more. Nothing less. Their business was a no strings attached type of deal; at least, that's how it was supposed to be.

The more time she spent with him, the more she had to keep reminding herself that he was already bound body and soul to another woman. That even if she allowed herself to fantasize about them being something more, that they were on completely different levels. The wolf blood that ran through his veins made him superior in every way. She was only human. A human who's conquest for personal freedom led her boldly into the arms of such a man.

"I bet your mate knows," she stated as she gazed at the thick clouds of smoke to see what shapes she could find.

He drawled out lazily, "She hasn't said anything."

Despite being of wolf decent, he behaved more like a lion. His lazy way of being, his pride, the way he toyed with his food before he ate it. The way he toyed with her. They were all things that she'd found herself growing fond of.

"We should stop," she replied breathily.

He sat the joint on the night stand before turning onto his side to gaze at her. She looked a lot like his mate. They were both leggy, with firm bodies and a youthful glow. Her hair, the same deep brown as her eyes, cascaded down her back as she turned to settle onto her belly. He ran a finger down her spine, his hand moving to cup her bottom as a shiver ran through her.

"We shouldn't," he replied.

She sighed, "You have so much to lose."

He hummed instead of replying, pulling her closer to run his fingers through her hair. His hands had moved to massage her lower back. He always knew how to touch her, and where to touch her to get her going. They never rushed. Patience was key when it came to pleasure.

"Your Alpha won't be happy," she reminded him, pushing his hands away and scooting back to her safe space. No feelings involved.

He chuckled in amusement, "Are you threatening me?"

He thought she was cute. Despite being a carefree woman, there was still something innocent there that he couldn't touch. It drove him crazy. In a good way.

"No," she sighed.

Every time she tried to end things this way, he did this. There were no feelings attached, but he wouldn't let her go. She rolled the dice with this one and she was losing at her own game. When had she let her guard down?

"I'm protecting myself," she admitted after a moment of silence. Regret pooled in her belly almost as soon as the words left her lips. They left her vulnerable, open.

He grew quiet, staying silent for a little while before he took the blunt and sat it between his lips. After a moment, he flung the blankets off of himself and slung his legs over the edge of the bed.

Standing up to get dressed, he told her, "I'll call you."

She watched on helplessly, caught somewhere between wanting to stop him and knowing that she had to let him go. She watched the muscles in his back flex as he put on a shirt; she admired how his jeans sat low on his hips as he made his way to the door. She stared at the hotel door as it closed with a soft click.

After he left, she got up and opened the window. She'd found herself watching him leave the last few weeks. She knew it wasn't healthy, but it was a hard habit to break. Her thoughts raced as she imaged how their next encounter would play out, if they had one. She could have scared him away with such a bold confession.

Her heart seized as she watched him get into his car and leave. He was going home to his mate and it made her sick on the stomach. Her lashes grew wet as she swallowed thickly around hot tears. It looks like she rolled the low number this time around. She'd finally lost at her own game.

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